Metallic scaffolds manufactured by selective laser melting for biomedical applications

Chapter 1 provides a review of the development of metallic scaffold implants through selective laser melting (SLM), an emerging additive manufacturing technique for the fabrication of complicated near net shape scaffold implants, which are otherwise difficult or impossible to fabricate with other conventional manufacturing techniques. The influence of the processing parameters and the characteristics of starting materials on the microstructure, mechanical, and biological properties of the fabricated scaffolds are elucidated. The advancements, limitations, challenges, and future potential of SLM in the manufacturing of metallic scaffold implants are also explained.